Blog

All business owners exit their business eventually. Planning is critical if you want to ensure a successful transfer of your business – whether that transfer be internal (i.e. to another shareholder, a management group or the next generation) or external (i.e. to an independent third party). According to a recent CFIB study, less than 10% of business owners have a formal written plan, 40% have an informal plan and over 50% have no plan whatsoever. [1] Why have so many business owners avoided planning their exit? Does this include you and, if so, what is holding you back? Here are […]

Summer may be the perfect time to increase the value of your company. The most valuable businesses are the ones that can survive without their owner. A buyer will pay a premium for a company that can operate effectively without the owner’s presence and likely require a steep discount for a business that is dependent on its owner. This summer, consider taking an extended break from your business to see how things will run when you are not around. It is likely that some things will go wrong, but use those errors as feedback for making your business operate more […]

The executor of an estate with business interests should obtain an independent professional business valuation as support for the values used in the estate administration tax (“EAT”) filing, particularly in light of recent changes to EAT legislation and the potential for personal executor liability. At the time of probating the will, EAT (previously known as “probate fees”) of 0.5% must be paid on the first $50,000 of estate assets and 1.5% on the value of the remaining assets. [1] The estate representative (i.e. executor or trustee) has many responsibilities, including: Filing an affidavit as to the estimated value of the […]

We were recently contacted by the Inspection Department of an independent service provider to the Canadian life and health insurance industry with respect to one of our clients. They were gathering information to assist in the underwriting process and wanted independent evidence supporting the client’s claim as to the value of the business as part of their inspection process. Our client asked us to provide a copy of the independent business valuation we had prepared for purposes of their estate planning and life insurance. We have been providing independent business valuations to help business owners determine an appropriate amount of […]

30% to 40% of business owners are planning to transfer their business internally to another shareholder, management, employees or family member. [1] One option for those planning to transfer the business to the next generation over time is through an estate freeze. In an estate freeze the business owner’s common shares are exchanged for preferred shares of equal value to the common shares. New common shares are then issued by the company to the next generation family members. This allows the business owner to “freeze” his/her unrealized gain in the corporation on a tax-deferred basis, with any future growth in […]

According to recent studies on the business succession market in Canada, between approximately 30% and 40% of business owners surveyed are expecting to transfer their business internally to other shareholders, management, employees or a family member. If you are planning to one day sell your business to an internal party, an independent business valuation can be very beneficial for managing value expectations and ultimately facilitating the transfer of the business at a fair and reasonable price. It is extremely important for all parties involved in an internal transfer to agree on the current fair market value of the business, to […]

According to studies on business succession in Canada, more than one third of those surveyed are expecting to sell their business externally to a third party. [1] “We should remember that good fortune often happens when opportunity meets with preparation.” ― Thomas A. Edison Business owners looking to sell their business to an external third party should take note. There is tremendous opportunity to sell for a significant premium because many business owners are not properly preparing. The preparation for this begins with a business valuation and solid value enhancement plan. The good fortune comes in the form of a […]

An independent professional business valuation is a critical element of pre-sale planning for business owners. Various studies indicate that between 60% and 75% of business owners will exit their businesses within the coming decade. [1] Over $10 trillion in private wealth will change hands in North America over this time frame, the largest transfer of private wealth in history. [2] There certainly is capital out there currently sidelined and looking for good investment opportunities. If you have an attractive and salable business, and you are ready, now may be the time to put it on the market given that the […]

The ultimate test to determine if you own a valuable “business” or just have a “job” can be found in a simple question: would someone want to buy your company? Would your customers continue to do business with the company (and its new owners) after you are gone? In other words, will the revenues and discretionary cash flows generated by the business continue after your departure? This is a major issue for many smaller personal services businesses that have few, if any, employees and are very dependent on the owner(s) for generating business and performing specialized services. If you are […]

A sobering statistic for many is that over 40% of marriages will end in divorce before the 50th year of marriage. [1] This does not exclude business owners and a matrimonial separation can result in significant professional fees for business owners, especially when the value of the business is a key area of dispute. An independent business valuation can help to minimize legal and expert fees for business owners going through a matrimonial separation. The division of property is a major issue in a matrimonial separation. According to the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General [2]: “When a marriage ends, […]